DORGAN SAYS NEW GI BILL MEANS ABOUT 3,800 ND SOLDIERS NOW ELIGIBLE FOR BENEFITS EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1

Friday, August 7, 2009

CONTACT: Justin Kitsch
or  Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551

(FARGO, N.D.) --- A new GI Bill that U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) helped push through Congress will create an opportunity to earn a college degree for about 3,800 soldiers currently serving in the North Dakota National Guard.

Dorgan helped push the GI Bill through Congress last year, and the new law took effect August 1. The bill significantly expands education benefits for those who have served in the military since September 11, 2001. And for the first time, it will allow many veterans to pass on their benefits to a spouse or dependent children.

“The men and women who serve in our military have shouldered a significant burden in the years since September 11,” Dorgan said. “When their country needed them, they didn’t hesitate to answer the call. So when they return, we have an obligation to stand behind them, as well. This bill is an investment in the future of our troops, and an investment in the future of our country.”

The new GI Bill, which represents the largest expansion of the veterans educational benefits since World War II, provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate active service on or after September 11, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days.

Military personnel who have served at least 36 months of active duty will receive 100 percent of the cost of undergraduate education at a public institution, including in-state tuition and fees, a monthly housing allowance, and a stipend for books and other supplies. Personnel who have served active duty for at least 90 days will receive assistance to offset at least 40 percent of educational costs.

The original GI Bill was passed in 1944 and proved to be wildly successful in helping veterans pursue higher education. The program helped fulfill an obligation to American soldiers and played a key role in the expansion of the middle class and the American economy. It also played a significant role in the lives of American icons such as actor Clint Eastwood, former President Gerald Ford, and former Chief Justice William Rehnquist.

For every dollar the program invested in World War II veterans, it is estimated that seven dollars in economic benefits were generated.

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